Method of closing a stuffed toy after stuffing

ABSTRACT

A method of making a stuffed toy requires first fastening together multiple fabric pieces to make a container which encloses an interior volume and which has an exterior surface. The container includes an opening into the interior volume which has two lips. A length of filament is used to stitch through the fabric to form multiple spaced apart loops along the length of the opening. Each loop extends from one lip to the other and is untensioned so as to allow the lips to be separated. A stuffing apparatus with an injection tube can propel stuffing material through the tube. The tube is inserted into the opening between adjacent loops of the filament and stuffing material is injected into the interior volume of the container. The injection tube is then withdrawn and the filament is tensioned to tension the loops to draw the lips into abutment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Applicationhaving Serial No. 60/102,650 filed Oct. 1, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to sewing and, more particularly, to amethod of closing an opening in the skin or body of a stuffed toy afterthe toy is filled with stuffing material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stuffed animals and toys are typically formed by filling a sewn fabricskin or body with a resilient material such as polyester-cellulosefibers alone or along with polystyrene beads or other filler materials,creating a three-dimensional soft and resilient representation of ananimal or other toy. Most stuffed toys are manufactured by first sewingthe skin together from multiple pieces of fabric, leaving an openingthrough which stuffing may later be inserted. Where two pieces of fabricare sewn together, they are sewn such that the bulky portion of the seamfaces the inside of the finished skin. Therefore, the skin is sewninside out so that unfinished edges of the pieces of fabric from whichthe skin is formed are all located on the inside of the finished stuffedtoy. Once the pieces of fabric are all sewn together into a finishedskin or body, the skin or body is turned right side out so that the bestand smooth finished side of the fabric faces outwardly and the roughseams are hidden. Next, stuffing is inserted through the stuffingopening until the inside of the skin is substantially full of thestuffing material, giving the stuffed toy a resilient three-dimensionalshape, much like the inflating of a balloon.

In small scale or custom manufacturing, the plush toy may be handstuffed. That is, handfuls of stuffing may be pushed through thestuffing opening in the skin or body. In larger scale manufacturing,some type of stuffing injection tube is often used to insert stuffinginto the skin or body. An injection tube is inserted through thestuffing opening and the stuffing material is then injected or pumpedthrough the tube into the interior of the stuffed toy.

When the stuffed toy is sufficiently filled with stuffing material, thestuffing opening must be closed to give the stuffed toy an acceptableappearance and to prevent leakage of the stuffing material.Traditionally, the stuffing opening is sewn closed from the outside ofthe skin using a sewing machine. This approach has severaldisadvantages. First, the resulting seam generally has a wound-likeappearance. That is, sewing the opening shut from the outside creates aridge or thick-type scar which is readily apparent on the skin of thefinished stuffed toy. It is desirable to eliminate this wound-like ridgeor thick-type scar to improve the appearance and feel of stuffed toys.Secondly, closing the stuffing opening from the outside of the skinafter the stuffing material is inserted can be a relatively timeconsuming procedure and a costly labor expense. Also, special equipmentsuch as sewing materials and/or a sewing machine are required to closethe opening. It is desirable to eliminate this sewing step, therebyeliminating the need for a sewing machine and/or sewing materials at thefinal stage of stuffed toy production. It is also desirable that thestuffing opening be closed in such a way that considerable time is savedcompared to the traditional and costly sewing method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the priorart by providing an improved method for making a stuffed toy. First, aplurality of fabric members are fastened together to define a containerwhich encloses an interior volume and which also has an exterior surfacedefining the shape of the toy. The container includes an opening whichis in communication with the interior volume. The opening has a firstand a second lip. A length of filament is provided and the filament isstitched through the fabric so as to form a plurality of spaced apartloops along the length of the opening. Each loop extends from the firstlip to the second lip of the opening with the lips being untensioned soas to allow the lips to be separated. A stuffing apparatus is providedwhich has an injection tube and a means for propelling a stuffingmaterial through the tube. The injection tube is inserted into theopening between adjacent loops of the filament and stuffing material isinjected into the interior volume of the container through the tube. Thetube is then withdrawn and the filament is tensioned to tension the loopto draw the lips into abutment. In this way, stuffing is retained in theinterior volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a stuffed toy;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the stuffed toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a close up view of a stuffing opening in the skin of a stuffedtoy including an untensioned prestitched filament for closing thestuffing opening according to the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a close up view of the stuffing opening of FIG. 3 with astuffing injection tube inserted between loops of the untensionedprestitched filament for filling the skin with stuffing material; and

FIG. 5 is a close up view of the finished seam after the stuffingopening of FIG. 3 has been closed according to the method of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows one type of stuffed toy 10, a stuffed bear. The stuffed toy10 is constructed by filling a sewn fabric skin or container 12 with aresilient stuffing material such as polyester-cellulose fibers and/orpolystyrene beads or other filler materials. The skin or container 12 istypically assembled from multiple fabric members which are sewn togetherinside out so that the raw or thick-type scar edges of the fabric seamsare on the inside of the skin. A stuffing opening is left for fillingthe skin. The skin 12 is then turned right side out and filled withstuffing material, and the stuffing opening is traditionally sewn shut.FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the stuffed toy 10 with a seam 14 near itsbottom edge. In this example, a portion of the seam 14 had been leftopen to allow stuffing material to be inserted into the inside of theskin 12. In FIG. 2, the stuffing opening has been sewn closed leaving awound-like raw edge or thick-type scar 16 on the seam 14. Someembodiments of the present invention seek to avoid this wound-like rawedge or thick-type scar appearance of seam 16.

For definitional purposes, the skin 12 of the toy 10 can be thought ofas a container. The container encloses an interior volume and has anexterior surface which defines the shape of the toy. In the exampleshown, this exterior surface is a cosmetic fur covered surface. Thestuffing opening communicates with the interior volume of the container,thereby allowing stuffing material to be inserted therein.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a seam 20 in the skin of a stuffed toy isshown. The seam 20 has been sewn on the inside of the skin or body suchthat a stuffing opening 22 remains. The seam 20 would typically beformed using small, closely spaced stitches using fine but tough thread.The seam 20 is finished at each end of the opening 22 to prevent theseam 20 from unraveling. By finished, it is meant that the seam 20 issewn in such a way that it does not unravel.

In FIG. 3, the skin or container of the stuffed toy is shown turnedright side out. That is, the aesthetic exterior surface 21 is shown onthe outside while the opening 22 communicates with the interior volume23 of the container. The stuffing opening 22 is typically six to eightinches in length, but may be larger or smaller. Also, the stuffingopening is usually a part of a seam, but may be formed elsewhere.

In the method according to the present invention, a heavier filament 24is loosely prestitched across the opening 22. The filament 24 is thickerand stronger than the thread typically used to sew the various fabricmembers together to form the skin or container. For example, thefilament 24 may be heavy duty nylon thread or fish line with a hightensile strength. The filament 24 may be a single strand or may beformed from multiple strands, as will be clear to those of skill in theart.

The filament 24 preferably is secured at one of its ends 26 to thefabric adjacent the seam 20 near one end of the opening 22. This end 26of the filament 24 may be secured to the fabric in any of several ways.For example, it may be sewn into the seam 20 or knotted and threadedthrough the fabric. The filament 24 is then stitched loosely across theopening 22 as shown in FIG. 3 much like a criss-cross shoelace on ashoe. For informational purposes, the opening 22 is defined as having afirst lip 32 and a second lip 34 which define the upper and lower edgesof the opening 22. In the figure, loose loops of the thread 24 passthrough one lip 32 or 34 of the opening 22, across the opening 22, andthrough the other lip 32 or 34. These loops repeat at spaced apartintervals continuously across the opening 22 much like the lace of ashoe. Filament 24 is loosely sewn across the opening 22 from one end tothe other so as to allow the insertion of a stuffing injection tube orother means of filling the skin. As shown, the loops are spaced apartmuch further than typical seam stitching. Typically, the loops arespaced apart between 1/8 and 1/2 of an inch. Secured end 26 of thefilament 24 is shown at the left end of the opening 22 in FIG. 3 and issecurely attached to the fabric. The other end 28 of the filament 24extends out of the skin 12 and away from the exterior surface 21 at theright end of the opening 22.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the stuffed toy is filled with stuffingmaterial using an injection tube 30 which is inserted through theopening 22 from the outside of the skin or body to the inside. Thoughnot shown, the injection tube 30 is part of a stuffing apparatus whichalso includes a device for propelling stuffing material through theinjection tube. As is known to those of skill in the art, injectiontubes come in various sizes but are typically in the range of one tofour inches in diameter. Stuffing material is then injected or pumpedthrough the tube 30 into the interior of the skin or body therebyfilling the skin or body with stuffing material and giving it athree-dimensional shape. Once the skin or body is sufficiently filledwith stuffing material, the tube 30 is withdrawn from the hole 22. Theopening 22 is then closed by tensioning on the loose end 28 of thethread 24. As will be clear to one of skill in the art, as the loose end28 of the thread 24 is tensioned, the loops in filament 24interconnecting the two lips 32 and 34 of the opening 22 become smallerthereby drawing the lips of the opening 22 toward one another. As theloose end 28 of the filament 24 is tensioned further, the lips of theopening 22 are brought securely into abutment thereby completely closingthe opening 22. This is the condition shown in FIG. 5. The loose end 28of the filament 24 is then tied off and trimmed so as to beunnoticeable. This can be accomplished in any of a number of waysincluding tying a small, unnoticeable knot in the filament 28 where itexits the fabric.

Preferably, the filament 24 is chosen to be thick and strong enough tobe grasped and pulled by hand without breaking. Depending on the size ofthe opening 22 and the amount of friction between the fabric and thefilament 24, it may be necessary to tighten consecutive loops of thefilament across the opening 22 thereby working the opening closed. Thisis similar to how it is necessary to lace a tall boot starting near thebottom and working upwardly removing slack as you go. It is preferredthat the filament have a low friction exterior surface. For example,nylon line or waxed heavy duty thread may be used.

As will be clear to one of skill in the art, the filament 24 may becompletely presewn across the hole 22 in any of a number of ways. Theillustrated embodiment shows the filament 24 being looped from one sideto the other with one end secured and the other free to be pulled.Obviously, the filament could also be sewn in a different pattern ormore than one filament could be used so that the opening is "laced"similar to a shoe. Also, the filament could be left free at both ends sothat both ends can be pulled tight and tied off.

Because the thread 24 is loosely presewn into the lips of the opening22, the finished seam, as shown in FIG. 5, gives a better appearancethan if the two sides of the opening 22 were bunched up and sewn shutwith a sewing machine. The method according to the present inventiongenerally gives a finished seam that is practically invisible. That is,the finished seam appears nearly identical to the other seams joiningthe fabric skin and does not have a wound-like raw or thick-type scarappearance.

In view of the teaching presented herein, other modifications andvariations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those ofskill in the art. The foregoing drawings, discussion, and descriptionare illustrative of some embodiments of the present invention, but arenot meant to be limitations on the practice thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making a stuffed toy, comprising thesteps of:a. fastening together a plurality of fabric members so as todefine a container which encloses an interior volume and which has anexterior surface defining a shape of the toy, the container furtherincluding an opening in communication with said interior volume, saidopening having a first and a second lip; b. providing a length offilament; c. stitching said filament through said fabric so as to form aplurality of spaced apart loops along the length of the opening, eachloop extending from the first lip to the second lip of the opening, saidloops being untensioned so as to allow said lips to be separated; d.providing a stuffing apparatus having an injection tube and means forpropelling a stuffing material through said tube; e. inserting saidinjection tube into said opening between adjacent loops of saidfilament; f. injecting stuffing material into said interior volume ofsaid container through said injection tube; g. withdrawing saidinjection tube from said opening; h. tensioning said filament to tensionsaid loops to draw said lips into abutment, whereby said stuffing isretained in said interior volume.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein saidfilament has a first end and second end, and the stitching step includesanchoring said first end adjacent said opening and leaving said secondend extending outwardly from said exterior surface.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the tensioning step comprises tensioning said secondend of said filament.
 4. The method of claim 3, further including thestep of tying off said second end of said filament flush with saidexterior surface following the tensioning step.
 5. The method of claim1, wherein said spaced apart loops are spaced apart by a distance andsufficiently untensioned so as to allow an injection tube having adiameter of 1/2 inch to pass between adjacent loops.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said filament comprises nylon line.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the stuffing is a chosen from a group consisting ofpolyester-cellulose fibers, polystyrene beads, polymeric material,shredded textile material, and shredded vegetable material.